Interior walls, dividers, soffits or the like, frequently are formed of structural framing members covered on at least one side by sheets of paneling, plasterboard, or a combination of these, butted edge-to-edge. One form of framing member is of wood, as studs, in regular size cross-sections, such as 2".times.2" or 2".times.4", and of standard lengths of 8, 10 etc. feet, that would be cut in-the-field to the required lengths. Another form of framing member, particularly useful in commerical or industrial buildings, is of metal, using "metal studs" in place of the wood studs.
Normally, the metal studs fit, at their opposite ends, somewhat snuggly within header or base channel tracks; and small self-tapping screws, or "mini-screws", are driven through the overlapped adjacent track and stud to hold them together. Each stud may be of a C-shaped cross-section, having a pair of generally flat narrow sides or legs connected to one another across a generally flat wide side or web. Each track may also be of a C-shaped cross-section, having a base wall and two walls transverse thereto that are spaced apart a distance just slightly greater than across the outsides of the narrow sides of the studs. The mini-screws thus fit through the overlapping narrow sides of the studs and the upstanding walls of the track.
The framing stud may typically come in standard size cross-sections, generally 11/4 and 13/8 of an inch along the two narrow sides or legs, and 21/2, 31/2 or more inches along the wide side or intermediate web, depending on the size; and in standard lengths of 8 or 10 feet, etc., up to possibly even 30 feet. The metal framing member may be between possibly 12 or 14 gauge for load bearing walls, and 24 or 26 gauge for non-load bearing walls.
Normally, in-the-field cuts of the studs and/or squaring up of adjacent components must be made very accurately, or misfitting of the stud and track, and other components, may occur. This may be particularly true on jobs where the major portion of the heavy structural framing, or iron angles, are precut precisely to length, and/or where the other components, such as squared grid ceiling, mirror tiles, sliding glass windows or the like must be held in place by the framing, and are all precut precisely of true size and/or must be squared to fit together properly.
It might be possible, and generally even common, to cut each lighter gauge framing member to the required length by means of metal cutting shears; although a saw might be used. Generally, a saw is used for cutting the heavier gauge framing members.
In-the-field measurements, marks, and squaring ups may be made with conventional tools, including measuring tapes or rules, guides or squares, clamps and marking pencils. To cut the stud to length, the marks generally must be made around the three outside faces of the stud, on the two narrow side legs and across the wider interconnecting web. As the length of the stud, as cut, must be most accurate at the corners between the side legs and the interconnecting web, and at the side legs, it is common to measure to the wide side or web of the stud, and to mark this face with a single line extended to the corners of the stud, using a guide or square positioned against the web face and squared against the adjacent stud corner. The remaining marks, on the two side faces of the stud, are made by relocating the guide or square twice, once for making each mark, with the guide squared against the specific side face and lined up with the mark already made on the wide side web face of the stud.
One conventional square or guide, having only planar arms arranged at right-angles to one another, may be used by positioning one arm against one face of the stud, and lapping the inside edge of the other arm against the adjacent stud face, for making a mark on the one stud face. However, this square is not preferred as the planar guide faces are not flush against any of the stud faces, and thus may be unstable in use. Another conventional square or guide has an elongated planar arm (or body, as the arm frequently may be triangular in shape), and a cross bar integral with or secured to one edge of the elongated arm body to extend normal thereto, somewhat as a "T". Each cross bar end may project 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch away from the elongated body, just long enough to form a corner that can be squared against the stud corner, with the elongated body being positioned flush against the stud face. This guide is thus preferred over the first mentioned guide, for marking the one stud face, as it may be more stable in use.
A major drawback to either style guide or square is the need to position the guide or square three times, once each for marking on each face of the stud. This is time consuming and subject to error; and may even be dangerous or unnerving, if one is marking and cutting the stud while standing on a swaying ladder or scaffold, as might be typical on a construction project.
Once the framing members have been cut to length, they must then be assembled and secured together to define the intended framing structure. To do this, the studs and channel tracks may be temporarily clamped together, with each joint then being squared accurately relative to both the individual joint and the location of the overall intended structure. A major difficulty of using either style guide or square for these purposes, is the many things that must simultaneously be done and the limitation of having only two hands for one person to do them with. Thus, one might be called on to hold a measuring tape, rule, level or the like; a guide or square; and a tool such as hammer or screw gun; and be expected to measure, mark or secure the joints together . . . accurately. Again, wasted time and effort often result; as the same measurements may have to be repeated to conform the accuracy of the first, or even mismeasured work may have to be disassembled and redone.
Also, as the most preferred guide or square is of a triangular shape, it does not store well in many tool pouches typically carried around the waist of the user. Moreover, if the guide is carried in a pouch pocket, it may block access to the pouch pocket and hinder removal of other items (such as the mini-screws used to secure the overlapped studs and tracks together) carried in the same pocket. If not properly placed in the pouch pocket, the guide may accidentally fall out, to not only slow up the user's work output, but also to potentially damage the guide, or anyone or anything below the user on which the guide may fall.